Long before nonprofit organizations had local offices and national program leads, peer-to-peer fundraising thrived through the dedication of volunteer leaders passionate about raising money for causes they loved. While volunteer management remains a critical strategy for the success of our events, it is often an elusive task for many organizations.

Identifying the right people, placing them in suitable roles, empowering them to make decision and holding them accountable can be challenging - and time-consuming. As a result, it's often tempting to handle the work ourselves. However, this approach limits our potential to expand our reach and influence within the community.

In the episode, P2PPF’s Marcie Maxwell is joined by Bryan Sherwood, Senior Director for Relay For Life at the American Cancer Society (ACS). Bryan will share his personal journey from local and national volunteer to national program lead. Together, they explore how the volunteer experience and volunteer expectations have evolved over the years, particularly in the post-pandemic era. Bryan also highlights the key qualities his team seeks when identifying new volunteer leaders.

Additionally, this episode covers:

• Lessons learned from working volunteers across different generations
• Tips for training staff on critical volunteer management skills
• The role that volunteers can play in diversifying your P2P portfolio

Mentioned Links

American Cancer Society

Relay For Life

Instagram: @relayforlife

Stay Connected on LinkedIn

Connect with Bryan

Connect with Marcie

Connect with the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum

• (00:00) - Welcome to The P2P Soap Box
• (01:52) - Introducing Bryan Sherwood
• (05:49) - How has the volunteer experience evolved?
• (07:49) - Exploring the National Volunteer Committee
• (13:40) - Training Volunteers on the Ground
• (16:44) - Learning Across Audiences
• (20:32) - Diversification
• (23:59) - Engaging Volunteers
• (27:56) - Get Involved!